Method and system for facilitating access to a promotional offer

ABSTRACT

A method of facilitating access to a promotional offer, the method comprising: receiving at a server system a page request from a client device; and sending program code executable in a browser application to the client device in response to the page request, the program code being executable to display at least one promotional offer and a promotional code, to provide a flash object at a display position of the promotional code and, in response to selection of the flash object, to cause the promotional code to be copied to a user-accessible memory of the client device and to open a new browser display of the browser application.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/208,437, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/455,908 filed on Mar. 10, 2017, which isa continuation of and claims priority to U.S. Pat. No. 9,626,688 issuedon Apr. 18, 2017, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S.Pat. No. 8,612,288 issued on Dec. 17, 2013, which is a continuation ofand claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/841,071,filed Jul. 21, 2010, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 61/232,241 filed Aug. 7, 2009, each of which is incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The described embodiments relate to methods and systems for facilitatingaccess to a promotional offer. Some particular embodiments relate todisplay of a promotional offer, such as a coupon, with a promotionalcode that can be used to accept the promotional offer.

BACKGROUND

Coupons can be used as a form of promotional offer to induce a potentialcustomer to purchase a product or service. For example, the promotionaloffer may involve providing a product or service at a discounted priceand this can be represented in the form of a coupon having a couponcode. The coupon code may be used by the entity making the promotionaloffer to validate the coupon.

Some coupons may be made available on a website, from which the couponsmay be printed for physical presentation of the coupon at a retailestablishment or, in some instances, for presentation when making anonline purchase of a product or service to which the coupon applies.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments comprise a method of facilitating access to apromotional offer, the method comprising:

-   -   receiving at a server system a page request from a client        device; and    -   sending program code executable in a browser application to the        client device in response to the page request, the program code        being executable to display at least one promotional offer and a        promotional code, to provide a flash object at a display        position of the promotional code and, in response to selection        of the flash object, to cause the promotional code to be copied        to user-accessible memory of the client device and to open a new        browser display of the browser application. The program code may        be further executable to automatically direct the new browser        display to a first uniform resource locator (URL) associated        with the server system. The new browser display may comprise a        new browser window or a new page display in the original browser        window.

The first URL may map to a server-side script or code resource hosted bythe server system. In response to a serve request for the first URL fromthe browser application, the server system may record selection of thepromotional code. The first URL may be unique to the promotional code.The server system may be configured to identify a second URL based onthe serve request, the second URL being associated with a differentserver, the different server tracking usage of the promotional code. Thesecond URL may map to a different server-side script or code resourcehosted by the different server.

The server system may automatically redirect the new browser display tothe second URL. The second URL may be allocated by an affiliate entityto an entity associated with the server system for use in relation todisplay of the promotional offer in one or more web pages served by theserver system. The second URL may be unique to an offeror of thepromotional offer and the server system. The first URL may comprise anidentifier of the promotional code.

In alternative embodiments, the program code may be further executableto automatically direct the browser application to an affiliate URLassociated with an affiliate server. The affiliate URL may be allocatedby an affiliate entity to an entity associated with the server systemfor use in relation to display of the promotional offer in one or moreweb pages served by the server system.

The program code may be further executable to cause an instructionalmessage to be displayed adjacent the promotional code in response tonavigation to the flash object. The flash object may be configured to betransparent and may be overlaid on the displayed promotional code.Alternatively, the flash object may comprise at least one rendering ofthe promotional code. In other words, the flash object may itselfcontain the text/content of the promotional code.

The promotional offer can be claimed by pasting the promotional codefrom the clipboard into a field on a webpage of an offeror's website.The promotional offer may be displayed in conjunction with a feedbacksection configured to allow a user to provide feedback input in relationto the promotional offer, wherein the feedback section provides for atleast one of voting and commenting.

The program code may further cause a rating indication to be displayedin relation to the promotional offer, the rating indication indicatingat least one of a redemption success rate based on user feedback and auser voting history, and may further cause a histogram to be displayedin relation to historical user feedback regarding the promotional offer.

The new browser display may comprise a display window distinct fromother displays displayed on the client device. The user-accessiblememory may comprise a clipboard of the client device.

-   Some embodiments relate to a method of facilitating access to a    promotional offer, the method comprising:    -   displaying, using a browser application of a client device, at        least one promotional offer and a promotional code;    -   providing a flash object at a display position of the        promotional code; and    -   in response to selection of the flash object, causing the        promotional code to be copied to user-accessible memory of the        client device and opening a new browser display using the        browser application.

Some embodiments relate to computer-readable storage storing executableprogram instructions which, when executed by a computing device, causethe computing device to perform the described methods.

Some embodiments relate to a system or computing device comprising meansfor performing the described methods.

Some embodiments relate to a system comprising:

-   -   at least one processing device; and    -   memory comprising program instructions executable by the at        least one processing device to cause the system to perform the        described methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments are described in further detail below, by way of example,with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for facilitating access to apromotional offer’;

FIG. 2 is an example display of a promotional offer according to someembodiments:

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for facilitating access to apromotional offer;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a client-server architecture, in thecontext of which some embodiments may be employed; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example computing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described embodiments relate generally to methods and systems forfacilitating access to a promotional offer. The promotional offer may beone of many provided on a website that specialises in making largenumbers of promotional offers available to consumers for many differentretailers. The promotional offers may be presented in the form of acoupon, for example.

A user may navigate to a coupon-sharing website, for example, wherepromotional offers in the form of coupons from many different retailersor service providers may be displayed and searched. Although it iscommon to describe web pages as being displayed on a website, the actualdisplay occurs using a browser application on a client computing devicethat receives code from a web server hosting the website in response toa serve request for a web “page”. The code thus received by the clientcomputing device is then executed by the browser application, ifpossible, to display the requested web page. It is in this context thatembodiments are further described.

Referring generally to FIG. 1, a system 100 for facilitating access to apromotional offer is described in further detail. Aspects of system 100are also shown and described by way of example with reference to FIGS. 4and 5. System 100 comprises a server system 110 and a client computingdevice 120 in communication with each other over a network 115, such asthe Internet. System 100 further comprises a database 130 accessible toserver system 110 for storing data pertinent to operation of serversystem 110 and provision of service to client computing device 120.System 100 further comprises an offeror server 140 and an affiliateserver 145 in communication with server system 110 and client computingdevice 120 over network 115.

Client computing device 120 may comprise a desktop, mobile or handheldcomputing device having at least one processor (e.g. CPU 206), one ormore forms of memory 202, 204, an operating system 122 and a userinterface. The memory may comprise volatile (e.g. RAM 204) andnon-volatile (e.g. hard disk drive 202, solid state drive, flash memoryand/or optical disc) storage. The user interface may comprise a display220 and at least one input device, such as a touch-screen, a keyboard216, mouse 218, stylus or other peripheral device that can be used forproviding user input to client computing device 120.

A number of software applications or applets may be executing orexecutable by at least one processor to perform various device-relatedfunctions. Such applications may be stored in the non-volatile memory202 of computing device 120. At least one such software applicationincludes a browser application 125 for enabling a user to navigate tosites accessible over the network 115 to receive content therefrom.Other client software applications 127 may execute on client system 120using operating system 122.

In the example of system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1, client browser 125can be used to communicate with server system 110 to request contenttherefrom, in the form of one or more web pages provided as program codeexecutable by the browser application 125. According to someembodiments, server system 110 is configured to provide at least onepromotional offer, and more likely many such promotional offers, forconsideration by a user viewing web pages via browser application 125.Thus, server system 110 may act as a coupon sharing site. FIG. 2illustrates an example display 200 of a promotional offer displayable bybrowser application 125 according to code received from server system110.

Server system 110 may display (or have accessible for display) a largenumber of promotional offers, one or more of which are offered by orassociated with a product or service provider or an onseller or resellerof such products or services (i.e. a retailer), termed herein forconvenience as the “offeror”. The offeror server 140 is thus a webserver hosted by or on behalf of the offeror and making available webpages associated with the product or service to which the promotionaloffer (viewable by the user by accessing server system 110) relates. Thepromotional offer may thus be used as a means of, among other things,increasing traffic to the offeror server 140, promoting the product orservice to encourage purchase thereof or for establishing some form ofrelationship between the offeror and the user as a consumer.

Server system 110 comprises at least one processing device, and maycomprise multiple processing devices operating in cooperation and/orparallel to operate web server functions 128 (e.g. using a hypertexttransfer protocol daemon (HTTPD)), data processing functions and datastorage and retrieval functions (e.g. using structured query language(SQL) support 132) in conjunction with database 130. Server system 110may also comprise scripting language support 131, such as Microsoft™ASP. ASP.NET or PHP (which are examples of scripting languages). Serversystem 110 may comprise or have access to suitable non-volatile datastorage separate to database 130 for storing executable program code toenable server system 110 to perform its functions, including thosefunctions described herein. Such program code comprises an operatingsystem 124 and a promotional offer management module (as one of a numberof software modules 150) for managing processing and communicationsfunctions in relation to the promotional offers. Offeror server 140 andaffiliate server may comprise a similar architecture and similarserver-related functions to server system 110, except that they will nothave access to database 130.

Database 130 may comprise a localised or distributed database storingdata records for the various promotional offers, as well as userfeedback (if any) received in relation to each promotional offer. Thetime and date of user feedback received, for example in the form ofpositive or negative votes as to the efficacy or the redeemability ofthe promotional offer and any received user comments, is also stored indatabase 130. Database 130 may also be used by server system 110 tostore data regarding the number of times a promotional offer is selectedand may store data for the purpose of rating or ranking the variouspromotional offers according to user feedback and/or other measures ofefficacy or reliability of the promotional offers.

The affiliate server 145 may be hosted by or associated with an entitythat tracks traffic and transactions to invoice the offeror andcompensate the entity that operates server system 110 for sales thatresulted from traffic referred through server system 110. For example,the entity hosting or associated with affiliate server 145 may beCommission Junction, which provides affiliate marketing.

Referring in particular to FIG. 2, the example display 200 of apromotional offer is described in further detail. Display 200 may beprovided as one of a series of such displays on a single page displayedusing HTML and other program code executed by browser application 125.Each display 200 comprises a display portion 210 and a feedback portion220. The display portion 210 comprises a promotional code 212, alsoreferred to as a coupon code, and a description 218 of the promotion.The display portion 210 further comprises a statistical informationdisplay section 230 that provides information regarding the efficacy ofthe promotional offer, for example including user success rate, userperceived reliability, aggregated positive and negative endorsements orvotes from users or any other statistical information to assist aprospective consumer to assess the likelihood of successfully takingadvantage of the promotional offer.

In some embodiments, the statistical information 230 may comprise ahistogram 232 representative of the historical user votes received inrelation to the particular promotional offer. The histogram 232 maycomprise a number of bars displayed in series and indicative of thenumber and value (positive or negative) of user votes on the perceivedreliability or redeemability of the promotional offer.

Display portion 210 further comprises a flash object 213, such as anempty flash movie, that is transparent and overlaid on the promotionalcode 212. Alternatively, flash object 213 may comprise one or moreimages that display the promotional code 212.

When a user navigates to the promotional code 212, for example by movinga pointer 211 over the promotional code 212 or the flash object 213,client side code, such as JavaScript, served by server 110 and executingon browser application 125 causes an informational message 215 to appearadjacent to promotional code 212. As illustrated by example in FIG. 2,the information message 215 may include the text “click to copy code andopen site” or other words to that effect.

As described further below in relation to FIG. 3, program code providedby server system 110, such as in the form of JavaScript executed bybrowser application 125, operates to cause display of the informationmessage 215 upon navigation to the promotional code 212 or flash object213. Further code, such as JavaScript or ActionScript or a combinationof both, is provided by server system 110 to cause a new browser windowto be opened (or a new display provided via the user interface) inresponse to selection of the flash object 213. The uniform resourcelocator (URL) of the new browser window is automatically directed to anaddress hosted by server system 110 and comprising, as part of the URL,an identifier of the promotional code 212. Simultaneously (at least asperceived by the user), ActionScript code provided by server system 110and executed by browser application 125 causes the promotional code 212,which may comprise an alphanumeric code or other combination ofcharacters, to be copied to a clipboard or other user-accessibletemporary memory or buffer on the client computing device 120.

Feedback portion 220 comprises text 222 inviting feedback in relation tothe promotional offer and positive and negative voting buttons 224, 226.Feedback portion 220 may also comprise a selectable link or button todisplay previously posted user comments in relation to the promotionaloffer and allow qualified users to post further feedback.

Selection of a positive or negative voting button 224, 226 triggers thecode executing in browser application 125 to transmit a message toserver system 110 indicating the Boolean status of the vote(yes/positive or no/negative), the time and date and an identificationof the promotional code 212 that is the subject of the feedback. Insteadof the feedback message comprising the time and date of the vote, serversystem 110 may record the time and date at which the feedback message isreceived at the server system 110. Server system 110 then records all ofthe voting information received in such messages as voting data indatabase 130.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a method 300 for facilitating access to apromotional offer is described in further detail. Method 300 begins atstep 305, at which client browser application 125 sends a page requestto server system 110 (e.g. by specifying a URL hosted by server system110) where the requested page comprises a promotional offer or multiplepromotional offers. This serve request is sent via network 115. At step310, in response to the serve request, server system 110 serves pagecode to client browser application 125 over network 115. The page codeincludes HTML code and applets and/or JavaScript to provide one or moredisplays 200. This page code is then executed by the client browserapplication 125 at step 315 to display images for one or morepromotional offers, such as display 200. The HTML code to providedisplay 200 may have approximately the following form:

<div class=″coupon″ id=″123456″> ... <td class=″code″>FREE100</td> <tdclass=″discount″>Get Free Shipping off your $100 Purchase</td> ...</div>

Execution of the page code also inserts or embeds flash object 213, e.g.<embed src=“clicktocopy.swf?code=FREE100”/>. Voting buttons 224, 226 areembedded as selectable objects within display 200 which, when executed,cause execution of an applet to provide a message containing votinginformation to be sent to server system 110. The page code that embedsflash object 213 into display 200 may comprise ActionScript to enableselection of flash object 213 and display of informational message 215upon navigation to or focus on flash object 213.

Once it is determined at step 320 that a user has navigated to orfocussed (via the user interface) on the flash object 213 displaying oroverlying the promotional code, then at step 325, JavaScript orActionScript executing within client browser application 125 displaysinformational message 215 to indicate that selection, for example by“clicking” of the promotional code, will copy the code and open awebsite associated with the promotional offer.

Once it is determined at step 330 that the flash object 213 displayingor overlying the promotional code 212 has been selected, then at step335, an ActionScript code segment automatically copies the promotionalcode 212 (e.g. “FREE100”) to the clipboard or other user-accessibletemporary storage of the client computing device 120. Simultaneously orimmediately before or after step 335, client browser application 125executes the ActionScript (or JavaScript called by the ActionScript) offlash object 213 to open a new client browser window using the sameclient browser application 125 at step 340. Alternatively, theActionScript or JavaScript may cause a new browser display to beprovided over the previous display instead of opening an entirely newwindow. This may be desirable where, for example, the client computingdevice 120 has a relatively small visual display area, such as formobile handheld devices, that may become too crowded if more than onebrowser window is open.

The new client browser window or display is opened at step 340 with aURL passed to client device 120 with the page code, automaticallydirecting the client browser application 125 to transmit a serve requestto a URL hosted by the server system 110. This URL may be specificallyassociated by server system 110 with the promotional code 212 and mayinclude the promotional code 212 as part of the URL or may include anidentifier of that promotional code 212. Direction of the server requestto this specific URL allows the server system 110 to recognize that thepromotional code 212 has been selected and to record this event at step345 for tracking purposes.

At step 350, server 110 then performs a look-up, for example in database130, to determine a special URL provided by an affiliate server 145 toenable tracking of traffic to the offeror server 140 via server system110. The affiliate URL may not always be found by the look-up.

If the look-up at step 350 is successful, then at step 355, serversystem 110 redirects the new client browser window or display in browserapplication 125 to the special affiliate URL hosted by the affiliateserver 145, which records at step 360 the corresponding serve request asbeing associated with server system 110, so that acknowledgement orreward can be provided for the client referral through server system110. If the affiliate URL cannot be found, a URL associated with offerorserver 140 may be used instead.

Following step 355, Affiliate server 145 automatically redirects the newwindow of the client browser application 125 to a suitable URL hosted bythe offeror server 140, at step 365. The offeror server 140 may thenserve page code to browser application 125 relating to the promotionaloffer or the product or service to which the selected promotional offerrelates. The redirections at steps 355 and 365 occur automaticallywithout user input and may not be visible unless displayed by thebrowser application 125 in the http address field.

At the user's option, the user may directly paste the coupon code storedin the clipboard or other user accessible memory into a field on a pagehosted by offeror server 140 to thereby claim or redeem the promotionaloffer, for example as part of an online purchase procedure. This pastingmay be performed at step 370 using a suitable user interface featureprovided by the client computing device 120, such as a key combinationshortcut via a keyboard or via a drop down menu option, for exampleprovided by the web browser application 125 or via a hot key or rightclick.

In alternative embodiments, step 340 may be performed with an affiliateURL instead of the client system URL, thereby bypassing the clientsystem 110 and sending the serve request directly to affiliate server145. As the affiliate URL is a specific URL assigned for use by serversystem 110, this URL can be used by affiliate server 145 to tracktraffic referred through server system 110. In such alternativeembodiments, steps 345 to 355 are not performed and the modified step340 is followed by step 360.

If the user closes the new browser window and then selects a differentcoupon code, that coupon code will be copied at step 335 and steps 340to 365 (or just steps 340, 360 and 365 if a direct affiliate URL isused) may be performed in relation to the different coupon code.Alternatively, those steps may not be performed again, in order to avoiduser annoyance because of the appearance of another new browser window.

For computer security reasons, copying of code into a clipboard of aclient computing device 120 is generally not permitted by many clientbrowser applications 125. However, this prohibition against copying tothe clipboard does not exist in relation to selection of a flash object,such as flash object 213. By copying the promotional code 212 to theclipboard, the user can with greater convenience and less navigationaleffort readily paste the coupon code into the requisite field on theofferor server's web page to claim or redeem the promotional offer. Thisgreater convenience for users can result in a higher rate of redemptionof the promotional offer than might otherwise be the case. Additionally,websites, such as may be hosted by server system 110, providing suchconvenient user interface functionality, may be more highly favoured andtrafficked by users.

In this description, the term “flash object” or similar terms, isintended to indicate an electronic media object, for example having a.swf extension, according to the Adobe™ Flash specification (Adobe Flashbeing a trademarked name of an example of a multimedia platform used toenhance interactivity of web pages). Additionally, the references toJavaScript and ActionScript are intended to be understood as examples ofclient-side script executable in a browser application and are notintended to be limiting. Other scripting languages may be used, to theextent that they are capable of performing the functions describedherein. Further, some embodiments contemplate using an object other thana flash object as the basis for copying the promotional code, where thatother object has associated therewith script or code that would bepermitted by the browser application to copy characters to the clipboardor another similar user-accessible memory.

Embodiments are described herein by way of example, with reference tothe drawings. The embodiments are intended to be provided by way ofnon-limiting example and some modifications of the described embodimentsmay be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the embodiments.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless thecontext requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as“comprises” and “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusionof a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not theexclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (orinformation derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not,and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form ofsuggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it)or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the fieldof endeavour to which this specification relates.

I claim:
 1. A system configured to operate a content-distributingwebsite in a network in which a third party server tracks contentdistribution, the content-distributing website facilitating contentengagement by serving instructions that when executed on a clientcomputing device effectuate loading a user selected content code into aclipboard memory of the client computing device for pasting into aninput of another website, the system comprising: one or more processors;and memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or moreprocessors effectuate operations comprising: receiving, from a clientcomputing device, at a content-distributing website server, one or moreserve requests for a web content item; and sending, in response to theone or more serve requests, from the content-distributing websiteserver, the web content item to the client computing device, wherein theweb content item is sent with instructions that indicate how to displaythe web content item in a web-page, the sent instructions beingconfigured to effectuate, when executed by a browser application of theclient computing device, operations comprising: displaying, in aweb-page specified at least in part by the sent instructions, at theclient computing device in the browser application of the clientcomputing device, the web-page with the content item, the content itemcomprising: a display portion associated with a content code and a userselectable input that, upon selection, causes client side code toexecute, the client side code being sent responsive to the one or moreserve requests for the web content item, and a description of thecontent of the web content item, receiving a selection of the userselectable input by a user; after receiving the selection of the userselectable input by the user, automatically performing post-selectionoperations comprising: copying the content code from within a securesandbox of the browser application to a clipboard memory of the clientcomputing device, the copying to the clipboard memory being caused atleast in part by the selection of the user selectable input, wherein:copying is implemented with a basis for copying the content code tooutside the secure sandbox by the browser application; and copying isperformed using an object other than a flash object as the basis forcopying the content code, the object having associated therewith clientside code permitted by the browser application of the client computingdevice to copy characters to the clipboard memory.
 2. The system ofclaim 1, the post-selection operations comprising: sending a secondserve request from the client computing device to thecontent-distributing website server, the second serve request includingan identifier of the content item having the selected input.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2, the instructions stored by the member beingconfigured to, upon execution, effectuate operations comprising afterreceiving the second serve request, at the content-distributing websiteserver, sending to the client computing device a uniform resourcelocator (URL) of a third-party server that tracks content distributionand instructions that direct the client computing device to the URL ofthe third party server and instructions that when executed by the clientcomputing device effectuate operations comprising: sending a third serverequest to the third party server addressed by the URL, wherein thethird serve request identifies the content-distributing website to thethird party server, such that the third party server receivesinformation sufficient to cause the third serve request to be associatedwith the content-distributing website by an author of the content item;receiving, from the third party server instructions that direct theclient computing device to a content author website to which the contentitem pertains; and displaying the content author website on the clientcomputing device, the content author website including a field to enterthe content code, wherein while displaying the content author website,the content code remains in clipboard memory of the client computingdevice such that, after receiving direction from the user, the clientcomputing device is operative to paste the content code from theclipboard memory of the client computing device into the field toprovide the content code to the content author website.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the content item of the web page comprises: a feedbackportion that comprises a positive and a negative voting button, whereinselection of the positive or negative voting buttons causes the clientcomputing device to transmit a message to the content-distributing website server indicating a status of a vote.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the display portion associated with the content code displaysthe content code.
 6. The system of claim 1, comprising: means forfacilitating access to a promotional offer.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein: the serve requests for web content items comprises a requestfor promotional offers; and the content code is a coupon code.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the client side code sent responsive to theone or more serve requests for the web content item is sent by thecontent-distributing website server.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein:the user selectable input comprises a button has an embedded referenceto the client side code paired with the content code such that theclient side code has access to the content code.
 10. The system of claim1, wherein: the content item of the webpage is a coupon having a couponidentifier; the content code is different from the coupon identifier;and selection of the user selectable input causes the browserapplication to navigate to an affiliate network server and identify apublisher of the content item of the webpage to the affiliate networkserver before the affiliate network server redirects the browserapplication to a website at which the coupon is redeemable.
 11. Amethod, comprising: receiving, from a client computing device, at acontent-distributing website server, one or more serve requests for aweb content item; and sending, in response to the one or more serverequests, from the content-distributing website server, the web contentitem to the client computing device, wherein the web content item issent with instructions that indicate how to display the web content itemin a web-page, the sent instructions being configured to effectuate,when executed by a browser application of the client computing device,operations comprising: displaying, in a web-page specified at least inpart by the sent instructions, at the client computing device in thebrowser application of the client computing device, the web-page withthe content item, the content item comprising: a display portionassociated with a content code and a user selectable input that, uponselection, causes client side code to execute, the client side codebeing sent responsive to the one or more serve requests for the webcontent item, and a description of the content of the web content item,receiving a selection of the user selectable input by a user; afterreceiving the selection of the user selectable input by the user,automatically performing post-selection operations comprising: copyingthe content code from within a secure sandbox of the browser applicationto a clipboard memory of the client computing device, the copying to theclipboard memory being caused at least in part by the selection of theuser selectable input, wherein: copying is implemented with a basis forcopying the content code to outside the secure sandbox by the browserapplication; and copying is performed using an object other than a flashobject as the basis for copying the content code, the object havingassociated therewith client side code permitted by the browserapplication of the client computing device to copy characters to theclipboard memory.
 12. The method of claim 11, the post-selectionoperations comprising: sending a second serve request from the clientcomputing device to the content-distributing website server, the secondserve request including an identifier of the content item having theselected input.
 13. The method of claim 12, comprising after receivingthe second serve request, at the content-distributing website server,sending to the client computing device a uniform resource locator (URL)of a third-party server that tracks content distribution andinstructions that direct the client computing device to the URL of thethird party server and instructions that when executed by the clientcomputing device effectuate operations comprising: sending a third serverequest to the third party server addressed by the URL, wherein thethird serve request identifies the content-distributing website to thethird party server, such that the third party server receivesinformation sufficient to cause the third serve request to be associatedwith the content-distributing website by an author of the content item;receiving, from the third party server instructions that direct theclient computing device to a content author website to which the contentitem pertains; and displaying the content author website on the clientcomputing device, the content author website including a field to enterthe content code, wherein while displaying the content author website,the content code remains in clipboard memory of the client computingdevice such that, after receiving direction from the user, the clientcomputing device is operative to paste the content code from theclipboard memory of the client computing device into the field toprovide the content code to the content author website.
 14. The methodof claim 11, wherein the content item of the web page comprises: afeedback portion that comprises a positive and a negative voting button,wherein selection of the positive or negative voting buttons causes theclient computing device to transmit a message to thecontent-distributing web site server indicating a status of a vote. 15.The method of claim 11, wherein the display portion associated with thecontent code displays the content code.
 16. The method of claim 11,wherein: the serve requests for web content items comprises a requestfor promotional offers; and the content code is a coupon code.
 17. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the client side code sent responsive to theone or more serve requests for the web content item is sent by thecontent-distributing website server.
 18. The method of claim 11,wherein: the user selectable input comprises a button has an embeddedreference to the client side code paired with the content code such thatthe client side code has access to the content code.
 19. The method ofclaim 11, wherein: the content item of the webpage is a coupon having acoupon identifier; the content code is different from the couponidentifier; and selection of the user selectable input causes thebrowser application to navigate to an affiliate network server andidentify a publisher of the content item of the webpage to the affiliatenetwork server before the affiliate network server redirects the browserapplication to a website at which the coupon is redeemable.
 20. Atangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructionsthat when executed by one or more processors effectuate operationscomprising: displaying, in a web-page specified at least in part byinstructions sent to a client computing device from a server, at theclient computing device in a browser application of the client computingdevice, a web-page with a content item, the content item comprising: adisplay portion associated with a content code and a user selectableinput that, upon selection, causes client side code to execute, theclient side code being sent responsive to one or more serve requests forthe web content item, and a description of the content of the webcontent item, receiving a selection of the user selectable input by auser; after receiving the selection of the user selectable input by theuser, with the client computing device, automatically performingpost-selection operations comprising: copying the content code fromwithin a secure sandbox of the browser application to a clipboard memoryof the client computing device, the copying to the clipboard memorybeing caused at least in part by the selection of the user selectableinput, wherein: copying is implemented with a basis for copying thecontent code to outside the secure sandbox by the browser application;and copying is performed using an object other than a flash object asthe basis for copying the content code, the object having associatedtherewith client side code permitted by the browser application of theclient computing device to copy characters to the clipboard memory.